


New Recruit

by Graysworks



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Crack, Fantasy AU, M/M, Matt POV, drabble ish, inspired by arahir, it's just more bad crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 18:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13370922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graysworks/pseuds/Graysworks
Summary: Lance signs on as bodyguard, Shiro forgets how to swim, Keith is smitten and Matt regrets everything





	New Recruit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [arahir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arahir/gifts).



> @arahir on tumblr mentioned prince!shiro and bodyguard matt and long story short, I owe jojo my life now

"Maybe he went right? You know- _away_ from the other footprints?"

Matt stifles another sigh and shoots Lance a look that's half amusement, half pity. Lance is so young. So naive. He remembers a time like that.

"What?" Lance frowns at him, then at the weapon in his hands that Matt's been eyeing for a few seconds too many. "Is something wrong with my bow?"

"No," Matt answers. "I just had a vision of strangling myself with the string."

Lance's expression grows alarmed, and then even more so as Matt approaches- but he passes by instead, muttering a resigned, _not today_ that has Lance squeaking out a dozen more questions about what exactly he signed up for.

Matt wonders what ignorance feels like.

 

  
"Is this right? Is this the end of the trail? No, no. He can't have gone in the _river_ -"

Matt has the sudden vision of finding Shiro, sans cloak and tunic in the water, and- God. Lance really _has_ signed up for the wrong job. Maybe Matt did as well, but he's in too deep at this point to give any of it up. At least the pay is good.

There's a loud splash and _giggling_ around the thicket of trees to their left, and no, Matt thinks- no amount of money can erase that sound from his memory. Or _therapy_ , for that matter- didn't the guard counselor quit last week-?

"Matt," Lance says, realization dawning on his face where it's turned toward the river, peering past the sprout of trees. "He's not, uh,"

Another laugh and more splashing completes the observation.

"He's not alone," Lance says anyway, weak. He's gone a pale shade of green that vaguely resembles the cheese Matt brought as a snack for the outing. Matt himself, is starting to regret his diet choices -or maybe just every choice he's made, ever- but what's done is done, and here they are.

He places a heavy hand on Lance's shoulder, with a look so grim, one would think their next steps were the beginnings of a death march.

"Together," He says.

Lance swallows, reaching for an arrow like he's prepared to take aim-

"Nope," Matt halts the movement with a grab at his wrist, reverting back to exasperation. "I may have a death wish, buddy, but I'm not going down by anyone's hand but my _own_."

Lance's face relaxes again into irritation, and he huffs a quiet, "I'm not _that_ bad of an archer-"

"I wasn't talking about you," Matt sighs, releasing his arm to pass by, and trudge around the trees. Maybe he'll slip and fall into the river. Maybe it'll all end before it begins. But- no, he has to forge ahead, if only for Lance's sake. What are his own wits worth now, anyway?

Between his internal conflict and his external mutters about putting a price on sanity, Matt almost fails to notice that Shiro is, in fact, fully dressed- as is the familiar figure sitting on the waist-level bank in front of him. They're both soaked.

Ah. So Shiro forgot how to swim today, evidently.

It's becoming a pattern, he's noticed, every time they venture into the Forest, Shiro having temporary lapses in memory; such as forgetting the way back to the Castle, or how to avoid the rogue wildlife (his current companion excluded), or basic first aid for a scraped knee.

Matt's learned not to question it, but he'll have to teach Lance.

Oh god, he'll have to teach Lance. He's already subjected the new recruit to so much.

Maybe it's for the better, then, when Shiro wades closer to the bank, accepting Keith's outstretched hand with a flush that couldn't be missed from a _mile_ away, and presses his lips chastely to gloved knuckles. Lance makes a feeble, choked sort of _"oh"_ sound, from behind Matt, and the shattered illusion of danger is almost tangible.

There's a special place in hell reserved for certain people; people that don't even need a full twenty-four hours to ruin lives. People that try so hard to stay afloat in the wreckage of their own poor decisions, only to drag down unwitting, innocent bystanders in the process.

Matt is quickly realizing that he's one of them now.

**Author's Note:**

> Lance: who's that other guy with Shiro
> 
> Matt: *christo bowman voice* I ran out of luck, I fucked up-


End file.
